Tall, Tall Trees

(pre-script: To get the most out of this post, go down to the playlist and click on the song" Walk Down This Mountain," by Bebo Norman, then come back to continue viewing this post. I'll wait...) (...still waiting...)

Today, when I looked down I saw this: When I looked up, I saw this: When I looked ahead, I saw this:
Coastal Redwood trees are the tallest trees in the world; they only grow here, 30-40 miles from the coast, along about the top half of the California coast. The trees in this particular park are special because they have not been chopped down; they are ancient. Some of these trees are possibly 3-4,000 years old.
All of these facts were provided here courtesy of what I remember from my conversation with the nice gentleman who was working in the visitors center this afternoon. Y'all, this man was kind, patient, and I continued to ask him question after question because he had one of those voices that soothed my head*. Does this happen to you? Sometimes, I will hear a person talking, and I just want that person to keep talking because the sound of that particular voice soothes me. So I asked him all about the redwood trees, and I listened closely as he told me about the different trees and wildlife growing around there; I let him show me the anomalies that randomly can occur among coastal redwood trees.
And then he gave me this piece of advice, which is what you need to remember:

"If you ever get attacked by a bear, play dead. If you ever get attacked by a mountain lion, fight back. It will shock the mountain lion, for he is used to attacking things like deer that do not fight back...and if you play dead after a mountain lion attack, he'll just eat you."

He was also quick to assure me what I already know, that mountain lions don't like people and will generally stay away...UNLESS the mountain lion has eaten something that affects his brain and makes him crazy. A crazy mountain lion is unpredictable. There is just no telling WHAT a crazy mountain lion might do.

This useful advice reminded me of why I will never fully be a nature lover, but will always only be a nature sometimes interacter. (with all of my babies in tow.)
-XOXO,

P.S. But then I discovered this song, "Walk Down This Mountain," by Bebo Norman, tonight, and it practically knocked me off of my feet...so if you didn't really listen the first time I told you to, listen to it now! I love it.


*The last time this happened, Derek and I were in a sporting good's store. I listened and listened as the store employee told us all about being in the army and about her Grandmother's upcoming surprise birthday party. When we finally left the store, I told Derek "I just liked her voice."